The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-10-27


perhaps. that bis reputation for courage
was at stake.
''Hadu't we better 90 mp and see what
i, is y be asked.
Bot at that moment the cabin Was food
ed with a strange. blue light; aud the
boys, looking towards the opening which
gave admission 10 tho loft overhead. saw
plainly human skull, looking very terri
BILE in the ghostly, blue light seeming to
float in the air. midway between the cell
ing and the floor.
This was too much. The boys tamhled
out Of the cabin aud ran for home. never
stopping TO take breath until they reached
the foot-path which led TO the DAVIS farm.
When they halted there, both Hiram aud
Josiah were too badly frightened TO return
home alone. So they went on with Moses
and Nathan, and, climbing up the shed
aud in at the window Of the loft, lay awake
for hours, their teeth chattering with fear
As soon as they were fairly away from
the cabin, two rough looking men LEI
themselves cautiously down from above
aud peered cautiously around.
IAN gone, Bill ?" asked one.
'Yes, Tom" returned the other. 1--WE
scared them pretty we'll"
I" 'rwon't do for us to stay here any
longer, though" said Tom. ''Soon as
they tell what they saw, the old folks will
suspect mischief aud the game will be
up"
"We're safe for Tonight" said Bill, and
wen get Of early 10 the moruin'. Mon
ey's all right ANTI ?"
Guess So" said Tom. MAY as well
look aud see." Aud, d,goins to the fireplace.
he stopped down aud lifted one Of the
bricks from its place in the hearth.
Little Reuben, wakened by the sound
OF strange voices. had crouched back in
his corner, fearing TO be seen. and listen
ed eagerly to every word. Now he drew
carefully forward and peeped around the
corner, great hope spring up in his
heart.
The backs of the two men were toward
i'm, so that he could not see their faces,
but, by the light OF the fire he saw Tom
put bis hand in the open place left by the
displaced brick aud lift up the mitten (he
would have known it anywhere, he
thought in which his father kept his
money.
"Yes, it's all here" said Tom. "May
as we'll put it back now, and we'll be of
early in the mornin'."
They replaced the mitten, and then sat
for while by the fire, eating butternuts
and corn which the boys had left. Reu-
drew back into his corner. but not until
he had caught glimpse OF their faces,
and recognized them as two men who had
been seen in their neighborhood several
times OF late. ostensibly looking for work.
but OF whom Capt. Davis had said, "they
were alter no good"
Reuben listened to their conversation,
and learned from it that they had escaped
from the state prison and that their plan
was to push on through the woods to
Portsmouth, where the hoped to get
passage on some vessel bound to England,
trusting to the money they had stolen
from his father to supply them with nec-
essares for the journey.
"They shan't have it," thought little
Reuben. I'll get it some way" But
although he made dozens of plans, none
of them seemed feasible.
He found that they had been living in
the cabin for nearly two weeks. They
had trusted to its reputation for secrecy,
and by burning the blue light had hoped
to keep alive the story Of the ghost The
skull they had stolen from the medical
college. But, as we have seen, they had
overdone this part, and had opened the
way to discovery.
AT last Bill said, with an oath, it was
'time to tnrn IN" Tom swung himself
into the loft, aud tossed down a pair OF
old blankets; and, wrapping themselves
in these, the two men threw themselves
upon the floor, and were soon asleep"
Reuben waited until he was sure they
were both sleeping souudly. Then he
crept out from his hiding place. He stole
softly to the hearth, with trembling hands
pried up the brick, caught up the mitten
with its precious contents, aud slipped
quietly out at the door.
The night was dark and the rain, which
Reuben had predicted in the afternoon, /
was falling. He heard no sounds but the
dropping OF the rsin aud the beating OF
bis own heart. He was not coward but
he had long, lonely walk before him.
and il the men should discover him, they
would not hesitate to kill him. And be
yroped bis way along, listening now and
then TO hear il he was pursued, in an ,
agony Of terror.
Meanwhile, the other boys we're tossing /,
nneasily about, finding sleep impossible,
md still full OF fright at what they bad
seen
Boys said Moses, suddenly, "so've
Iorgot Reub." H
That's fact" said Josiah.
"What can we do r.
'Oh. darn him r. cried Nathan. "Wby
couldn't be have stayed at home as he'd
,nghteri"
well, we've got TO do sofnething," said !
Moses. "'Twon't do TO leave him there I
slone all night"
There's nothin' fort bu. go to 60 and !
:, tsther the whole story, answered Na I
- ''I'd ruther be licked, but there
'''' her way"
- ~. = deliberaiicn, the boys crept {
''ei ~ sui roneel Cant Davis .